Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey - Moon Living Abroad Australia

ULRIKE LEMMIN-WOOLFREY

Australia. A land so vast that it encompasses deserts, snowy mountaintops, virgin rainforests, and two oceans lapping at its shores. A country with animals strange enough for a fairy tale, with people who live everywhere from artificial caves to shining skyscrapers, and with a musical culture that stretches from someone playing the didgeridoo in the Outback to a symphony orchestra performing in one of the most iconic buildings on earth.

Although my knowledge about anything Australian was pretty limited before moving here, I found many of the preconceived notions I did have about the continent to be true. The entire nation is obsessed with the great outdoors. The parks and beaches are teeming with people as soon as there is one ray of sunshine. A house is not a house unless it has a barbecue and entertainment deck out back. The cities are bursting with culture and modern shops and coffeehouses. And life is good.

Here, people really do work to live, rather than live to work. Work-life balance is important, and the weekend is king. This low-stress lifestyle and healthier attitude toward work is exactly why migrating to Australia has been popular for generations.

The challenge of adjusting to a different lifestyle in a new country can be an adventure. As an expat, Ive truly been able to get to know this amazing country, its people, its history and culture, and its off-the-beaten-path treasures. Australia is still very much a land of wonder, full of remote and undiscovered places. You may even discover something new about yourself.

Flinders Street Station in Melbourne.

bathing boxes in Brighton

the National Gallery of Victoria

jars of Vegemite in a grocery store

Australian banknotes

Qantas airplane

What I Love About Australia

The heady mix of imposing eucalyptus trees, tall palms, and majestic evergreens, such as the Moreton Bay fig. Australia is opulently green.

Koalas, platypuses, kangaroos, and wild cockatoosfor an animal lover this is like a trip to the zoo, only without the fences.

Even a single ray of sunshine is excuse enough for Aussies to sit outside at cafs and linger over breakfast and the daily newspaper.

The atmosphere in the Melbourne Cricket Groundwhere up to 70,000 people cheer on their Australian Rules football teamsis simply electric.

Even if you live in the center of a large, bustling city, a decent beach is never far away.

The continent is so varied that weekend trips will never get boring.

Whether you are a scuba diver or a snorkeler, the worlds greatest marinelife is on your doorstep.

When someone starts shouting Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, the reflexive response is to shout oi, oi, oi.

There are nearly 2,000 vineyardsand they deliver.

School uniforms eliminate at least some of the peer pressure on kids and ensure a quicker turnaround time in the morning.

Arriving at the Sydney Opera House for a performance makes you feel like you are treading a red carpet, simply because the setting is so stunning.